


House Cup

by UnicornAffair



Category: Power Rangers Megaforce
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 02:16:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17112551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnicornAffair/pseuds/UnicornAffair
Summary: Slytherin Gia Moran came to Hogwarts with one goal in mind, to become the best chaser the house had ever seen. She wanted to become a legacy, to live up to her family name. Well, she didn't expect a Hufflepuff to put an absolute wrench in her plans and her reputation.





	House Cup

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myndopeus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myndopeus/gifts).



> Sorry that I'm posting this one a little later in the day. Happy 9th Day of Christmas! Today I'll be posting fics for my Discord servers Secret Santa! 
> 
> <3 When I pulled your name and you hadn't filled out the excel sheet I instantly thought of this. A combination of the two things we're known for, you and Harry Potter AU and me and my sports au. (of course with Giemma as opposed to Trimberly). So I hope you have a wonderful holiday! <3

Ah, it was that time of year. The start of school for young witches and wizards. Gia Moran was practically groomed for the first day, for the  _ sorting.  _ As a pure blooded witch she had come from a line of infamous, well off, proud members of the Slytherin house. Both of her parents were well established in the Ministry of Magic. Her family's reputation preceded itself, as no one even wanted to sit in her cabin on the Hogwarts express. No matter, she didn't want to make small talk with fellow eleven year old's trying to win over her attention. Gia felt that she was above them, that this first year was so beneath her time. Her sights were on  _ one _ thing, to make it onto the Quidditch team and not only  _ meet _ her father's records but to exceed them. She wanted to become the best Chaser Slytherin had ever seen. The blonde looked to the window, already bored and irritated, she didn't realize just how long the trip was going to be.

Gia's eyes rolled at the sound of a tapping at her door. People should have known better than to bother her. She stood up to open the partition and was met with a shorter girl, an Asian girl wearing a jean jacket, a white top underneath and the shortest pink shorts Gia had ever witnessed. In her arms, her unwelcome guest held a little black cat. "Hi, um, everywhere was pretty full so I was wondering" She noticed the abundance of space in the fellow eleven year old's compartment, "Do you mind if I shared with you? I don't know anyone...and...I'd really rather not stand the whole way"

Really, Gia  _ should _ have just turned the clearly clueless girl away but something pulled at her heart strings. Probably felt bad, sympathetic for the other girl. She stepped aside to allow the unfamiliar face to step inside, "Stay on that side"

"I'm Emma by the way" The girl kept the cat cradled in one arm to free up her hand to offer to politely shake, "And this here's Midnight. The um, letter said I could bring a cat, owl or frog and um my parents felt most comfortable with leaving me a cat" Gia eyed Emma's hand until the other girl shrugged it down, sitting across from the other witch, "This is all so overwhelming to me"

Oh. Great. "So you're a-" Mudblood. "Your parents are muggles?" Was the  _ nicer _ way to put it.

"Mm?" Emma nodded her head, she couldn't make eye contact with Gia, she'd much rather play with the cat's paws, "Non magical parents? Yeah. Imagine their surprise when an  _ owl _ dropped off a letter about  _ magic  _ school" She laughed, "It was amazing they actually went along with it. This was definitely a bit of a bizarre school supplies list. It was so hard to find  _ anything. _ Then there was Platform 9 3/4's um...it was kinda horrifying. We literally  _ went through a wall"  _

Gia folded her arms, now she was all too curious of the girl with no magical bloodline, "Did you not go to Diagon Alley?" 

"I don't know what that is" Emma blinked, oh she would have been eaten  _ alive _ if she had ever wound up in Knockturn Alley.

"So..." The blonde's green eyes squinted, trying to piece together quite how muggles could get their hands on  _ anything,  _ "How did you get your things together?"

"Oh" Emma laughed, her cheeks reddening in front of a  _ real _ witch, she felt quite foolish to admit, "Ebay"

Now it was Gia's turn to sit back in confusion, "I don't know what that is"

"It's using the internet to buy and win auctions" Emma turned her wand in her hand, "I got this gently used for $199, it feels a little strange, but" She shrugged, "I'm still getting used to the whole magic thing" Amazing what a person could find in the depths of the inter-webs.

Gia shook her head, "That wands probably rubbish" A wand is supposed to choose it's owner, not be sold over the computer. She sighed, with no one else around Gia could let down her guard. "But, you're a beginner, it'll get you through your classes" If she were  _ nice _ she could hold Emma's hand and guide her to a proper wand shop. Muggles were such simpletons. Her parents were already holding her back from reaching her true potential.

"So..." Emma trailed off, "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name" Oh. That's embarrassing. Gia would've gotten a slap on the wrist for not taking the opportunity to assert her dominance and make her presence known. "Are your parents um wizards and witches? Sorry, the terminology is still so new to me. It is Wizard right? Not Man-Witch or Warlock?"

The blonde exhaled sharply through her nose, the ends of her lips curling up in a smile at the phrase  _ man-witch,  _ Emma really was out of her element. "My name's Gia" If Emma had to  _ ask _ who she was, she clearly didn't understand how powerful her family was, "Gia Moran"

"It's a pleasure" Emma used Midnight's paw to wave to the blonde across from her in the trolley. It was enough for Gia to shake her head, this girl was too adorable for her own good. "I think we're going to be great friends" 

A mudblood and a  _ Moran?  _ Not likely. Gia tilted her head to the side, "We're probably going to be sorted into different houses" She had to keep her venom, if anything for this girl's own good, distancing herself early would be the best bet. A nice girl like Emma was bound to find  _ someone _ to baby sit her. 

"What do you mean by that?" This idiot really had no idea.

"Do you have your letter with you?" Gia reluctantly got up so she could sit next to the girl. Emma pulled out the letter from the inside of her jean jacket. The stamped seal was the easiest way to explain the different houses, "So, because there's way too many students to keep track of. Hogwarts splits us up into four houses. Some are better than others. You have the brainiac Ravenclaws, they're okay, a bit snobbish for their own good" As if she was one to talk, "Hufflepuff, the doormats. Gryffindor" Gia rolled her eyes, "The  _ worst. _ Annd this snake here represents Slytherin" The blonde smiled, "That's going to be my house, so naturally it’s the best" And most selective. There was no way a girl like Emma could  _ ever _ be a Slytherin.

"How do you know what house you'll be in if you haven't even been sorted yet?" Emma asked, her thumb grazing the seal, she thought the other animals representing were quite cute. She hoped that she would be in a nice house where she could make friends. 

"Everyone in my family's come out of Slytherin house" Gia scoffed, "I've been groomed to keep up the reputation of the Moran house." Emma didn't realize she was in the presence of greatness, the Moran's were to be feared. "I'll probably graduate Head Girl" If not, at  _ least _ a prefect. Gia set her ambitions  _ high.  _

"What if you  _ don't _ get sorted into Slytherin?" Emma asked, she was still new to all of this so Gia had to give her a pass. 

Gia let out a laugh, as if that were ever possible. Gia Moran in any house  _ but _ Slytherin? Yeah, right. Oh sweet, innocent, naive Emma. "I'd probably be disowned" She wasn't kidding.

The rest of the ride to Hogwarts was surprisingly pleasant. Gia hated to admit, she didn’t  _ mind _ the company of the muggleborn. She even went out on a limb and treated her new acquaintance to a chocolate frog off of the snack trolly. If any reason, but to see the look on Emma’s face when the tasty treat leapt out of it’s container. In the privacy of their compartment, Gia didn’t  _ have _ to be a Moran, she even did her best to try and give Emma some wise words of advice on the magical world. Anything to try and reassure her that the world of magic wasn’t all scary, and that despite being away she could grow to love Hogwarts.

To nobody’s surprise, Gia Moran, like the others that came before her was sorted into Slytherin house. The moment she sat down, an older student by the name of Rita Repulsa was quick to introduce herself. These were the sort of people Gia needed by her side, the ones that could get her further ahead. Rita was only a third year, but she managed to strike fear and earn respect from her fellow classmates.Emma on the other hand was sorted into Hufflepuff, and Gia couldn’t be more relieved at that fact. The innocent girl from the train didn’t need to get tangled up in the newly sorted Slytherin’s life. In Hufflepuff she could find her own friends, people there to watch out for her. A place to belong.

Only, Emma Goodall quickly garnered a reputation for being a bit off. She was absolutely fascinated with the moving portraits, how they worked, she could spend far too much time in the stairwell speaking with them and have full conversations. Between the portraits and the ghosts, Emma didn’t have many  _ real _ friends, well... _ human _ friends. Her roommates were nice, and she would never sit alone, but she never  _ quite _ fit. She was never on an  _ in  _ crowd. On times where Professor Gosei asked his students to partner up to create a potion, Emma would manage to pop up by Gia’s side, asking if she could work with her. Crazy girl thought they were friends...and every time Gia would reluctantly say yes. She couldn’t say  _ no _ or bite back with a venomous comment, not when Emma looked at her like the stars in the late night sky. 

That’s when other Slytherin would start to tease Gia for having a “Pet Puff”. It was a comment and nickname that annoyed her to no end. Not even becoming a first year walk on to the Qudditch team would make others back off. Her teammates, well, they found it humorous that a Hufflepuff tagged along Gia’s side like a puppy. Emma would come to Gia’s matches, a lone badger in a sea of snakes. It was endearing...and annoying, but Emma’s loyalty never wavered. How her parents would be so upset if they knew their precious daughter’s only  _ real _ friend was nothing but a mudblooded Hufflepuff.

...What they didn’t know couldn’t hurt them…

The day Gia  _ finally _ snapped against her own house was the day that she found Emma crying in the bathroom. Rita Repulsa was quick to tease the Hufflepuff while she was sitting in front of a portrait for a daily chat. She didn’t  _ need _ to use magic to bring Emma down a few pegs, just a spiteful word and a shove down the concrete stairs. 

“I know I’m different” Emma had to heave in a deep breath, that only seemed to make the tears fall harder. “It’s hard for me to adjust to a place like this...Hogwarts is supposed to be  _ magical _ not…more of the same...” she shook her head, “I miss being home...I miss my parents...and I’m  _ hated _ because of them. What...what is that?”

Gia didn’t have an answer, not a good one, it was the kind of attitude she had grown up around. That the magic community was being ruined,  _ tainted,  _ by those with muggle blood. None of these people knew Emma, knew how special she was. With a proper wand, not one purchased from Ebay, she would blow past most  _ pure _ blooded students. Gia was sure of that. The Slytherin shrugged her shoulders, uncomfortable around crying people. “I don’t know...not everyone feels that way…”

Emma looked up to Gia, her eyes still red from the crying, “Your parents do, don’t they?”

“....They do...but they’re not  _ me” _ She folded her arms, feeling as if she were on the spot. Gia wasn’t the one doing horrible things, or calling Emma bad names...but she was a Moran. At the end of the day, Gia would be seen as a product of her family name. “Let me see your knee” Gia saw the scrape, the blood covering Emma’s joint, it had to have been a nasty fall. Emma moved her robe to try and hide it, not that it mattered, Gia already saw it.

“Who did this to you?” Gia asked, it was more of a demand, comforting really wasn’t her strong suit. Why show compassion when she could get revenge? “Emma.”

“Your bestest bud Rita Repulsa.”

Something clicked in Gia that moment, something  _ dark.  _ She had a name, and that was all she needed. The Slytherin turned without a word, she could barely hear Emma calling for her name. Now she only had one mission, payback.  _ No _ one was going to make Emma cry,  _ ever _ not on her watch. Gia didn’t notice the Hufflepuff limp-run after her as she made her way out into the courtyard. It wasn’t difficult to find Rita; the third year Slytherin was having far too much time making first year, Trini Gomez, hang from her ankles with a levitation spell. She must’ve been going after  _ multiple _ muggle born students today.

_ “Flipendo!” _ Gia held her wand steady in her hand, her eyes narrowing at her target. The knockback jinx hit Rita square in the chest, her body flying backward into the wall with a painful thud. “Not so fun when someone pushes back, huh?” 

Gia didn’t think the confronting the bully plan through. Poor first year Trini was hanging upside down, and with Rita losing her concentration well... _ someone _ fell on her face pretty hard. Oops. Emma was the one that went over to Trini Gomez’s side, picking her up off of the ground. Bloody nose. That...that could be fixed, no biggie. It would be  _ fine.  _

“Oh,  _ you”  _ Rita got to her feet, dusting herself off. She cracked her neck all the way to the left and right, the bones making a sickening sound. “Didn’t know you were so  _ fond _ of your little mudblood pet” Her tone dripped with venom, her green eyes glared daggers through Gia, her voice alone sent shivers down spectators spines. “My how low you’ve sank”

The  _ moment _ Rita raised her wand, Gia dropped her shoulder to send another hex, one that a  _ first _ year wouldn’t be taught. Rita’s body started to turn to a solid gold, the third year absolutely horrified as she solidified. A pure blood like Gia was groomed to be the best after all, of  _ course _ her father taught her spells and curses to push his child ahead of the curve. Rita’s now statuesque like body fell back with a thump. The chatter around the courtyard was silenced in an instance. “If anyone  _ touches _ a hair on Goodall’s head. You’ll be answering to  _ me”  _ All this time, Emma was referred to as Gia’s Puff Pet, when Gia was the one acting like a guard dog.

“Miss Moran!”.The voice of the head of Ravenclaw house boomed amongst the silent courtyard. Professor Kendall Morgan was  _ not _ pleased to see a student turned to a literal block of golden stone. Kimberly Hart, a first year Ravenclaw half blood stood at her side, she must’ve gotten help when her friend Trini was being teased. “I don’t know  _ how _ you managed to  _ cast _ a spell like this” Successfully thank god. She did  _ not _ want to have to fix a botched up statuefication. “I’m taking  _ fifty _ points from Slytherin  _ and _ you’ve earned a personal  _ detention _ with me”

“What!?” Gia stared in total shock at the punishment slammed down on her, “I was just... _ she _ started it!” This eleven year old clearly had to work on her arguing skills. 

Professor Morgan’s brow quirked, “Do you want to  _ test _ me Miss Moran?” She unsheathed her wand, guiding it in a semi circle and with a few choice words, the third year Slytherin started to regain her proper skin and bones. 

No one ever would doubt Gia’s loyalty to Emma, not after that. For that day in the courtyard was the moment that she made an enemy out of Rita Repulsa. She was made out to be a fool by someone  _ younger _ than her. Oh. This was far from the end. 

*****

_ Every _ student had a bad year at Hogwarts, that was inevitable. Most were during the stress of the O.W.L.S or N.E.W.T.S. First years, like Emma, also often had a hard time adjusting being away from their parents at such a young age for the first time. It didn’t matter if one were a muggle, or a witch,  _ school _ never changed. Finding a place to belong, that was never easy. All a person ever really needs to survive a social jungle was one other person, and Emma found her safety net in her friend Gia Moran. 

Over the summer holiday between first and second year, Gia was allowed to bring Emma back to school shopping in Diagon Alley. She even paid for Emma to get a  _ brand new _ wand perfectly suited for her. Gia’s parents took interest in Gia’s new friend, never hearing of a family like  _ Goodall _ before, they were suspicious to say the least. Disappointed that her friend wore  _ yellow  _ and  _ black _ instead of  _ green _ and  _ silver.  _ With a little white lie, Gia simply told them that Mr. Goodall was a muggle and Emma was a  _ half blood.  _ Why start needless drama? ...Emma was the only friend she could really call her own.

During second and third year, Emma really hit her stride. With a newfound confidence, a bit more of an understanding of the wizarding world, and a magical camera, she couldn’t be stopped. Well, if anyone  _ tried _ to get in her way, they’d have to answer to Gia. With the Hufflepuff socializing more, she branched out to other houses, and despite a little resistance from Gia at first; started to form a  _ group _ of friends. Noah Carver and Rob O. Knight of Ravenclaw, Troy Burrows and Quidditch enthusiast Jake Holling of Gryffindor, and Orion Silverman of Hufflepuff. Being the only Slytherin of a group of people felt  _ great. _

Gia took a bit to warm up to the gaggle of guys, for the start of their ‘friendship’ Gia would keep them all at an arm's length. Hanging out in a big group for the sake of Emma’s happiness. Over time, and trips to Hogsmeade, Gia started to warm up to each boy one by one; even the brooding Troy. The Slytherin felt like she could be  _ herself _ around them, and not worry about anything being  _ used _ against her. Friendships within the Slytherin house could be dangerous, and were hard to tell if a person was genuine or would  _ use _ the other for some kind of advantage or leverage later on. Secrets weren’t safe in the Slytherin, and only the strong survive.

It wasn’t until fourth year where everything they knew would start to change. Jake Holling was  _ always  _ a Gryffindor at heart and would only  _ not _ root for Gia during the rivalry match. He wanted so  _ badly _ to be apart of the Quidditch team. He was a natural at the game, but with so few spots on the team and a wide talent pool, he didn’t make the squad. Poor kid tried out  _ every _ year but couldn’t quite make the cut. The Shiba siblings were the only “young” kids chosen for a veteran team. 

Out of everyone, well, out of all the  _ boys;  _ Gia connected with Jake the most so when he asked her to train and practice with him before tryouts, she didn’t hesitate to help him out. He was suited to be a chaser, and that happened to be Gia Moran’s expertice. A group of seven sneaking out to the quidditch pitch late at night? Easier said than done, but when there’s a will, and the brilliant Noah Carver involved, they were able to manage to sneak past four sets of prefects. They could worry about getting back at a later time.

Practice would be limited, as there were only seven of them. Noah stayed on the ground, he wasn’t much for flying and would be taking the best notes. Troy sat up by the three goal posts to act as a keeper. Orion served as Jakes teammate so the eager Gryffindor could practice his passing skills. Gia played lead chaser opposite of Jake to act as one of the first defenders. Which left, Rob to the beater position. He wanted to test Jakes flying flexibility. Emma preferred to keep next to Noah on the request of observing Quidditch closely. 

Gia was able to fly by Jake, using her fist to punt the quaffle from under his arm. “Rule number one of being a chaser, always keep control of the ball”

Orion swooped up and grabbed the quaffle, if this were a regulation match, Gia’s team would have had more of a chance to catch the loose ball. Jake and Gia both had to duck down as a bludger screamed over their heads. God, the blonde  _ hated _ those buggers. The Gryffindor shook his nerves off and reached his hand out to his Hufflepuff teammate to throw him the ball. Orion obliged, giving Jake what he wanted. A chance to show off. 

With some stellar moves of his own, he was able to completely do a barrel roll so Gia couldn’t touch him, whizzing by the Slytherin with ease. He approached the far left hoop to throw in a goal past Troy. Jake pumped his fists in the air, “Ten points for Gryffindor! And the crowd goes wild!”

“Jake look out!” Emma called from the ground. Jake was so busy celebrating that he didn’t see the oncoming bludger, the boy getting hit square in the chest with an umph. “Are you okay?”

“Hnnnnnn” the wind was knocked out of him but he managed to signal a thumbs up. 

“Rob! What the hell? You were supposed to be on that” Orion flew over to the Ravenclaw’s side, this was only a  _ practice _ no one should get hurt.

“Gloating can lose you a match” Rob stated as a matter of factly, “I wanted to test his reflexes”

Gia rolled her eyes, with all the boys acting like idiots she was the one that was going to have to fetch the lone bludger and shove it back into the trunk. As she bolted the rouge ball in its place, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder, Emma was all too curious to look at the balls close up. As a spectator she didn’t have the first hand experience. 

“I want to try out too” Emma caught Gia off guard with that sudden statement, “You all look like you’re having so much fun” She had spent  _ years  _ cheering Gia on through regular season that she wanted a go. 

“You want to play Quidditch?” Noah asked, extremely skeptical of Emma’s sudden interest, “It’s dangerous.”

“He’s right” Gia motioned to Jake, Troy was rubbing the other Gryffindor’s back as he tried to catch his breath. “Besides, what position would you play? A chaser?” Like Gia, like Jake?

Emma shook her head no, “I’m not the best flyer” 

“Beater?” Noah asked, his head cocked to the side. Before she even responded he knew that wouldn’t be the right position for her. 

“Too violent”

“A keeper then?” Gia asked, her arms folded, as a chaser she directly went head to head with keepers; trying to trick and score on them anyway she could. Ever since Gryffindor appointed Lauren Shiba to the position, Gia was hungry to win against the proud red and gold. 

“Too much pressure” Emma opened the small pouch on the inside of the chest. Between her pointer finger and thumb she held the golden snitch, “I think I could be a good seeker” 

Noah and Gia stood with eyes wide. Emma as a  _ seeker _ now  _ that  _ was a good choice. As a photographer, Emma had a self trained eye to see a scene in ways a normal person  _ wouldn’t.  _ Her attention to detail was off the charts. The Ravenclaw boy looked over to the Slytherin girl. Noah was upset he didn’t think of this sooner, he nodded his head, confirming Emma’s statement. “I think with some flying practice, you’re right”

Gia held her hand over her broom, summoning it with ease with a simple “Up” command. The Slytherin mounted it and patted the spot right before her. “Let’s work on some form” riding with Gia would be much safer than trying on her own.

“Yeah? Okay” Emma didn’t want to make Gia wait on her for a second. She positioned herself right in front of Gia, keeping her back up against the blondes front. Emma wanted to stay close, she felt safe with Gia. The Slytherin wouldn’t let  _ anything  _ bad happen to her.

The blonde ran her hands along Emma’s arms before taking Emma’s wrists, “The most  _ important _ lesson in flying is you have to have a firm grip on your broom. It’s your  _ lifeline.”  _

Emma nodded her head, mentally taking notes. Loose grip on broom equals death, that didn’t seem so hard. “Okay”

“Lean forward, get as close as you can to your broom for maximum speed. Lean back when you want to pull up. Your control at it’s core is in your wrists. Always remember that and most importantly-”

“Hey Emma let’s see what you’ve got!” Jake interrupted Gia’s little instruction session by taking the golden snitch and hurling it into the air as far as his arm could take it. 

Emma followed Gia’s instructions, lean forward for maximum speed.  _ Got it.  _ Before Gia could finish her thought, Emma leaned forward and pushed off. The Slytherin had to act fast and lean forward, wrapping her arms around Emma’s waist as fast as she could; a second sooner and she would’ve fallen off the back of the broom. When she came back down to the ground, oh was Jake going to hear a piece of her mind. 

“Woo! Go Emma!” The boys called from the safety of the ground. Orion on the other hand grew a bit concerned for his fellow Hufflepuff and mounted a broom to spot her and a vulnerable Gia. In the night sky, the golden snitch was much easier for the photographer to see. A good way to practice before forcing herself to try and find it in the light of day. The problem wasn’t  _ seeing _ or finding the snitch, no, Emma had to work on control. Her motions were too jerky, she would nosedive too quickly and barely give herself enough time to pull up to level herself off. This kind of thing wasn’t taught in a day, it was a skill she’d have to learn and practice. To Emma, Gia’s extra weight felt a lot like training wheels to help her learn how to ride a bicycle...same concept...only airborne. 

“Emma pull back!” Gia’s eyes widened upon seeing one of the tall wooden rafters in their path, Emma was  _ not _ skullfull enough to weave herself through the supports. Gia had to take control by clamping her hands against Emma’s and using her strength from behind to pull the broomstick up. Directing them to go  _ over _ and not around. “A seeker doesn’t always need to rely on speed” 

The Hufflepuff had to catch her breath, that was a  _ total _ rush, she hated that she spent this long on the sidelines. She belonged here in the air, in the sky amongst the clouds. Emma felt herself relaxing into Gia, looking up in an unsaturated sky. “The stars look like little tiny snitches” 

Gia rolled her eyes, letting out a sigh of relief that she  _ wasn’t _ going to puke her guts out and that Emma’s crazy steering  _ stopped _ for the time being. “You would say that”

“The castle looks so peaceful” Emma murmured softly, “Crazy to think there was a time where I  _ hated _ being here” Reminiscing on some better moments, she closed her eyes, “Now I can’t wait to get back. I want to experience  _ everything _ I can before I graduate”

“Is that why you’re suddenly interested in Quidditch?”

“I know how much you love it, I want something to share  _ with _ you….I don’t want to stand on the  _ sidelines _ anymore” Emma turned her head in Gia’s direction, with the broom giving them  _ limited _ space, it was the best she could do to try and look into those green eyes she’s come to adore. “...It’s really hard watching Hufflepuff come in 4th  _ every _ year I’ve been at Hogwarts”

Gia scoffed out a laugh, “Yeah, you Puffs  _ really _ suck”

The Slytherin didn’t even need to see Emma’s face to see the  _ adorable _ irritation, “Hmph” She folded her arms and turned her head, “We’ll see what happens this year then, when I  _ make _ the team” Wow, Gia had to admit, she liked seeing a more confident side of her best friend.

“Yeah, is that so?”

“Mhmm” Emma responded, every so sweetly, “Because you’re going to teach me everything you know”

*****

That soon became the first night of  _ many  _ secret training sessions. The group of young wizards and witches would send off secrets with codes of where and how they would sneak out of the castle. With magic, and security, the place was  _ constantly  _ changing. Though, to Emma’s credit, befriending the portraits had come in handily multiple times. The moving images would often cover for them when Professor Morgan grew suspicious of students out of their dorms at night. 

Noah would spend his free time strategizing different plays and flying techniques for Emma and Jake to master. Their ultimate goal was for  _ both _ the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff to make the team. Orion and Gia provided good additional support in the air. Troy served as a keeper, while Rob was  _ all  _ about sending as much adversity at them as possible. Gia wasn’t so thrilled when he tried to cast up jinxes to keep them on their toes.

Their hard work had paid off in the long run. Emma was able to razzle dazzle the Hufflepuff team captain. Once she had gotten the  _ hang  _ of flying, it became like a second nature to her, as if she belonged amongst the clouds. While Emma became a starter, Jake  _ made  _ the team but was a first alternative. Gryffindor had far too much competitive talent, and Jake was more than willing to pay his dues to work at an  _ awesome  _ 7th year finish. 

For a muggle born, completely new to world of magic...Emma never ceased to surprise Gia in what she could overcome and accomplish. And, if Gia were to be honest, Emma looked good in those yellow Quidditch robes…

Hufflepuff had a bit of a rough start when it came to their season, as their team consisted up of a mostly new squad. They had a tough road to try and prove themselves that they weren't a joke anymore. Ravenclaw, well, they try to keep up; but with Gryffindor and Slytherin being  _ so _ competitive they fall a bit to the wayside as the season progressed. It was a  _ big _ mistake to count the yellow and black out early. For the house cup semifinals the match would be the first place regular season champions Gryffindor vs the fourth and lowest seed Hufflepuff while second and third Slytherin and Ravenclaw faced off. 

The entire school were prepared to see Gryffindor walk away from this with ease. They arguably had the best players, and both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw would rather see Gryffindor take the house cup if their own couldn't win. Slytherin was all too used to having their backs up against the wall, no one in their corner, motivated to win in spite of their classmates. Emma Goodall was Hufflepuff's dark horse, no one saw her coming. She caught the snitch two minutes into regulation game time. Gryffindor didn’t even have a chance to score a single goal. It was the the  _ fastest _ recorded game to ever take place at Hogwarts. Gia could only beam with pride for her best friend. Taking a moment to smirk in the direction of her greatest rival, Lauren Shiba-the Keeper of the Gryffindor team, who sat on her broom just as stunned as the rest of the crowd, her mouth slightly agape. Hufflepuff would be going to the house cup finals that year, and after a close matchup between the blue and bronze vs the green and silver, they would be facing off with the Slytherin team. 

Hufflepuff vs Slytherin….Gia vs Emma.

Rita Repulsa led Slytherin team against their foes, as a seeker herself her one and only focus was to get that damn snitch before Emma. Gia didn’t  _ like _ the idea of Rita hounding close to her best friend, but this was a game at the end of the day...Emma could hold her own. What Gia had to focus on was her  _ job _ to score the most goals and bump up Slytherin’s score as much as possible. Anything to give her team a buffer for when the snitch would eventually be caught and the game would be called. The head chaser called plays, moving the quaffle around the pitch as much as possible spread the Hufflepuff team. Gia was all too prepared to face off against Lauren Shiba and the Gryffindor team, Hufflepuff wasn’t nearly as prepared defensively for Slytherin’s offensively aggressive strategy. The Badgers had the strategy of surviving as long as they could until Emma caught the snitch. It all rested on her shoulders.

10 points.

20 points.

30 points. 

DING another 10 points for Slytherin giving the green and silver a 40 to nothing lead. They couldn’t feel comfortable just yet. 

A chasers job was to continue a fast paced game, there was no time to sit and observe the pitch. Another catch, another pass, Slytherin was making Hufflepuff look like chumps out on the field. The crowd grew silent, three houses hearts were breaking as their  _ least _ favorite team were looking to win the house cup by a landslide. 

In order to shake Rita Repulsa off of her tail, Emma flew high up into the clouds. With the team color being  _ yellow  _ and black, it wasn’t exactly easy to hide. A bludger came in the direction of the Slytherin seeker, separating her from her direct competition. 

“No!” Rita clenched her first, her eyes glaring daggers, Emma  _ wasn’t _ aimlessly flying around the top of the arena...she  _ saw _ the snitch and was making a power play to end the game. Rita Repulsa  _ refused _ to lose against  _ Hufflepuff,  _ to a  _ rookie _ like Emma Goodall, not when this was her graduation year. 

In a dirty move, Rita swiped Zedd’s beater bat and hit a bludger clear in Emma’s direction with the intention of knocking her off her broom. The bastardly bludger made contact to the side of the Hufflepuff’s head, knocking her out and clear off of her broom...falling...falling….

Another 10 points to Slytherin! Gia didn’t notice what had happened, she was too busy trying to score a goal….the crowd went sickeningly silent at the move. Professor Morgan had to intervene by levitating the poor Hufflepuff and preventing her body to hit the ground. Emma had to be rushed to the medical wing immediately. 

Slytherin won the house cup that year. A victory that tasted rotten in the mouths of the students of Hogwarts. 

Gia waited until the celebrations were over before she confronted Rita, punching her in the nose like a muggle would to solve their petty problems. If she wanted to be team captain in the future, she couldn’t ruin her chances by confronting the other girl in public. She didn’t care about a trophy, a legacy, she wanted to make sure Emma was okay. Gia didn’t even change out of her green quidditch robes when she left the Slytherin common room. 

A blockade of yellow clad students created a protective barrier around Emma’s medic bed...none were happy to see a snake in the weeds. “Just tell me if she’s awake...tell me if she’s okay” Gia didn’t want to push buttons, to cause more stress, she wanted to win the cup...but not like  _ this.  _ There was no honor in a cheap play, in hurting another player on  _ purpose.  _ “And I’ll go?”

“Gia?” Emma’s weak voice called out, “Please, can you give us some space?” She asked her friends. Ever since she had joined the quidditch team and was the sole reason for beating Gryffindor in the playoffs, more and more people wanted to become her  _ friend.  _

The blonde waited for the room to empty out, for the doors to close behind her, for them to have  _ real _ privacy before she approached the bed. Her leather gloved hands were quick to hold onto Emma’s, “I’m so sorry this happened...how are you?”

“Like I just took a bludger to the head” The softer girl looked down to their hands, it didn’t feel quite right, so she started to untie Gia’s protective gloves. “I’m just happy I woke up in this year”

“Don’t joke like that” It was rare, but Quidditch was a dangerous game...people got hurt...some injuries were quite severe. When she noticed what Emma was doing, Gia started to help Emma reach her goal and undo their gloves. “I’m sorry”

“You already apologized” Emma started to stroke Gia’s now free hand with her thumb, “You didn’t do this to me”

“No, but she was  _ my _ teammate…...and now this win…” It made Gia sick to her stomach. 

“It’s only a game” Clearly Emma wasn’t as competitive in spirit. Gia ducked her head down, her shoulders quaking, she tried so hard to hold it all in, to not show weakness in front of her best friend. “I’m okay...it’s okay…” The Hufflepuff slowly sat up, taking Gia’s cheeks in her hands, tilting the Slytherin’s head up so she could look into watery green eyes. “Look at me I’m  _ fine”  _

Gia could only nod her head, afraid that if she would speak her voice would crack and then she would truly break.

A gentle kiss to the forehead followed by a tentative kiss to Gia’s lips, it felt like the right thing to do to support this broken girl...to convey that she wasn’t holding a grudge against her...to show her the affection that was in her heart threatening to bubble over. “Will you stay with me? This place gets kind of eerie when no one's here” The Slytherin nodded her head yes, then moved to lay next to the smaller girl...to hold her in her arms and comfort her when she didn’t want to return to her own house. 

It wasn’t long after the two decided that they should start dating, though they were young, the two felt a close bond. Emma would always hold Gia’s hand whenever she could, they would steal quick kisses when no one was watching. The Slytherin and Hufflepuff were inseparable. Headmaster Gosei even appointed the two of them prefects at the start of their fifth year. Rita Repulsa had graduated, the Quidditch team was Gia’s...life seemed perfect, that was, except for one little snag. 

The Morans found out of Emma’s muggle born bloodline and weren’t keen on Gia being around her much less tainting herself by  _ dating _ the other girl. At only fifteen years old, Gia understood what it looked like to the rest of the Wizarding World if her parents kicked her out of her home. These were the 2000’s not the 1990’s and being racist wasn’t favorable during re-election periods at the ministry. So when Gia asked if she could spend her next summers with the Goodalls, she effectively cut herself out of her home...saving as much face as possible.

The Goodalls were starkly different from the Morans, perhaps it was the nativity when it came to magics. They couldn’t be tainted by the dark arts. They welcomed Gia into their home as if she were their own daughter. It was there where she learned of  _ eBay _ and during the first couple of weeks, Gia would bid on auctions for the thrill of being the  _ best.  _ Being around Emma, the Goodalls brought about a warmth that Gia hadn’t experienced. Her home wasn’t exactly  _ cozy,  _ nor was the Slytherin dormitory. Mrs. Goodall would always light candles that would make the house smell of cinnamon or vanilla, while Mr. Goodall taught Gia the fundamentals of European football, brainwashing her into becoming a fan of  _ his _ favorite team. This place was a dream.

When the girls turned sixteen, the Moran’s stopped sending Gia mail wondering how her year was going. They spoke of her in passing to aquantienes, telling colleagues that she was doing just fine, general blanket statements to keep small talk going. Mr and Mrs Moran didn’t have a damn clue what Gia was up to in her studies, they didn’t even know she wanted to become an auror. Dating a muggle born and becoming an auror, Gia really was racking up the disownment points. Despite this, Mr and Mrs. Goodall made up for Gia’s parents, they would send her cards and snacks just as they sent Emma care packages. 

As far as their  _ romantic _ relationship, Gia and Emma were older, closer and much handiser. They  _ may _ have taken advantage of their roles of prefects to use the nicer baths from time to time...it wasn’t uncommon that Gia would come to class accidentally wearing a yellow and black tie. Emma would purposely steal Gia’s green and silver scarf for when the gang went out to Hogsmede. Blood didn’t make a family after all.

During the 7th year of Hogwarts, and Gia’s  _ final  _ year of being the Slytherin Quidditch captain, she led her team right to the finals. She would be facing off against Lauren Shiba’s Gryffindor team...she would be facing off with her friend Jake Holling who had finally paid his dues and became a starter for the team. 

Before the match, Emma found Gia in the locker room, she had already sent the rest of her team out to practice. The Hufflepuff sporting Gia’s number and wearing the green colors smiled brightly upon seeing her girlfriend. She kissed her in greeting and wrapped her arms around her, “You’re going to do great”

They had come so far from when they first met on the Hogwarts express so many years ago. 

Gia let out a breath, “I’m not nervous about the  _ match”  _ She knew very well that her girlfriend would be trying to give her one last pep talk and sweet lady kisses for some Hufflepuff good luck. “Emma. You know I love you”

The Hufflepuff nodded her head, the two had been in love for years now, “I love you too…”

“And we’re going to be graduating soon” Gia opened her locker and stared down at a little black box. She had been thinking about this for some time now, and she couldn’t go into her final match with this questioning lingering in the back of her mind, “Emma, I want to spend the rest of my life with you”

“Like get our own place after graduation?” The Hufflepuff didn’t see it, not with Gia’s back toward her. She wrapped her arms around Gia’s waist from behind, “I’d love that”

Maybe it was easier to ask the question with her back pressed up against Emma’s front, she wouldn’t have to look Emma in the eye… “...Marry me?”

“I’m sorry  _ what?”  _ It had been many years for Muggles, but getting married at seventeen wasn’t exactly a common phenomenon. “You want to get married? To  _ me?” _

Gia turned in Emma’s arms so she could kiss the other girl, “...You’re the one…I know in my heart that I’m not complete unless I have you with me. I just……”

The Hufflepuff leaned forward to kiss the blonde before her, she didn’t need to see whatever ring Gia managed to scrounge up, it wasn’t about that. “Yes…. _ after _ graduation...lets do it, let’s get married” The truth of the matter was that Emma felt incomplete if Gia wasn’t in her life. “I’ll be yours, I’ll always be yours”

“Moran! We gotta go!” A voice called from outside of the locker room...there was an important Qudditch match, and a stadium full of fans just  _ waiting _ for Gia to come out.

With one last parting kiss, Emma wished Gia the best of luck and put the ring on her finger, admiring it once the Slytherin’s back was turned. It was funny how much seven years could change a person. Gia wanted to come out of Hogwarts with the most records, by being the best chaser that Slytherin had ever seen. Sure, she wanted to beat Lauren Shiba and take a win from Gryffindor but at the end of the day she had found someone she could call her soulmate. Even if Slytherin lost, Gia could come out of this match the happiest girl on the pitch...she had Emma, and had  _ every _ intention to take Emma’s muggle last name. 


End file.
